Diarys and Dreams 1
by Jet130
Summary: It might be after Hogwarts, but Dreams still haunt Hermione Granger. See her dreams and read her diary entries.
1. How it All Began

31st December  
  
Hello. My name is Hermione Granger. I am nineteen years old, and I work at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as Headmistress. I also have my own chat show on WWN. When I was sixteen, my best friend was killed, and my other best friend's soul died. His soul died, but his empty, loving eyes always told you that he was and is still there for you. Ronald Weasley was a loving man. His girlfriend was ripped apart when Voldemort killed him, one month before they were to be married. Ron's fiancée was not the only one destroyed by Ron's death. Harry Potter, who lived through this ordeal, refused to believe that his best friend was dead. He searched for Ron with the hollow eyes you see him with now. Everyone annoys Harry with 'Congratulations,' but that isn't what he wants. The only thing he wants is Ron.  
  
I suspect that there was some romance there, but no one was ever sure. They lived life as they always had, but I noticed there was a slight change in their relationship towards the end. When I tried to explain my theory to Lavender Brown, she laughed and told me to stop being so stupid. I told her I wasn't and Ron was in danger. She laughed even harder. At Ron's funeral, she cried the hardest. I guess she should have listened to me. Every single student that went to school with Ron, Harry, and me were present. Even Pansy Parkinson cried, but Draco Malfoy showed little emotion. Draco and I live together, now. His relationship with Harry at Hogwarts has changed. They both know how much it means to me. They also know that I could kill them without using an Unforgivable Curse. I must go to bed now, as it is late. I do not feel like celebrating. I will take a sleeping potion.  
  
Hermione Granger  
  
P.S. - When I am not dealing with troublesome students, I am thinking of a way to bring back the dead and heal the wounded. It is not an easy task, even for me. I have recently been named the cleverest witch in the world, and at nineteen, I feel that I have a lifetime's achievement. I have achieved my goal, but have set a new one. To find a way to make Harry Potter's soul live again.  
  
Hermione's dream #1  
  
'Come on, Hermione, we'll be late!' A red-faced Ron Weasley shouted up the stairs, 'Honestly, I don't know what you're doing, and I don't care if you're in your underwear, you've got to come down!' There was silence. Ron barged up the stairs, and into Hermione's room and started shouting at her, only- 'Bloody hell! Harry! She's gone!' 'She's what?' Asked Harry, bounding up the stairs. 'She's gone. Hermione left through the window. Left us a note, though,' Ron replied, picking up a piece of paper that read:  
  
Dear Ron and Harry, I had to leave; or else I would have been late for a conference. I know it was supposed to be at a later date, but I received an owl saying that it had been moved up. I am very sorry and I hope I haven't caused too much trouble, Love, Hermione  
  
'The note's properly punctuated, too,' Harry remarked, looking at the note over Ron's shoulder, 'Oh, well. Mustn't grumble.' 'What?' exclaimed Ron, 'Mustn't grumble? What on earth are you talking about? I think you've gone delusional, Harry.'  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, not so far away.  
  
'Oh, come on!' 'It's all right for you, Oliver. You're the England Quidditch captain. You're in good health,' Hermione gasped, 'I, on the other hand, refuse to get on a broom.' 'Hermione, it's not that bad riding a broom. In fact, it's the best thing in the world. Now come on. We'll be late.' Hermione followed him reluctantly over the crest of the hill they had been walking up. 'It's beautiful!' She exclaimed. 'I know. This way,' and he led her off into a small wood, where there was a tractor tyre, 'Put your finger on this.' Hermione did as she was told, and felt a slight jerk beneath her neck, as she touched the portkey.  
  
* * *  
  
Later that day.  
  
'Oh, Sweet Jesus in a handbasket! There you are Hermione!' 'Didn't I leave a note?' she asked, looking puzzled. 'Oh, you left the note all right. How did you get out?' 'Ha! That's for me to know, and for you to find out,' she said looking between the two of them. 'Madame Hooch has been injured. Flew into a Muggle Radio tower. She can't teach or referee.' 'Oh. Who's teaching?' Harry called after her, 'Oi! Hermione!' 'You'll see,' she shouted back over her shoulder.  
  
* * *  
  
One week later.  
  
Hermione ran towards the Quidditch stadium, her long black robes billowing out behind her in the early September breeze. It was Gryffindors first Quidditch training session of the season, and Oliver had said that he would be there. She ran through the gates to find Harry drilling the team and Oliver hovering about 20 feet in the air behind him. Oliver's face lit up when he saw Hermione, and she pointed to the stands. He flew down to the stands and sat beside the brunette. 'I've missed you,' Oliver said to her, his voice full of emotion. 'I've missed you too,' she replied and embraced him. He returned the hug and the pair of them sat down to watch. 'To get the idea of what everyone's doing, I have to go to every single practice. That means getting up at three in the morning to get everything out for the players. I don't mind though.' Hermione just smiled inwardly, and let his voice wash over her. The positions were almost as they had been since Oliver left, and the Weasley twins were in their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. 'You know, I think Harry made the right choice of putting Ron as the Keeper,' Oliver commented suddenly. The team was as follows: Beaters: Fred and George Weasley Seeker: Harry Potter (Team Captain) Chasers: Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet Keeper: Ron Weasley After practice, Hermione left Oliver to find Harry and Ron. The two boys were talking animatedly as they came out of the Gryffindor showers. As soon as they saw Hermione, they quieted down, and finished their conversation rather rapidly.  
  
* * *  
  
One year later.  
  
' .And finally the Gryffindor Quidditch team is as follows - Keeper: Ron Weasley. Seeker: Harry Potter. Chasers: Sarah Buxton, Natasha Hill and Lottie Thompson and the Beaters: Carl Turner and Luke Cathcart. Team Captain, of course is Harry Potter, so if you wish to know more, he's the man to ask. That is all,' Professor McGonnogal finished. 'Well done, Seb!' 'That's great, Luke!' 'Good on ya, Tash!' 'Nice one Carl!' 'All right, Lottie!' Other various exclamations were made in awe of the new players. Unnoticed in the commotion, Jamie Knowles, a second year slipped out of the common room.  
  
'Right. We all know what to do, right?' 'Yes.' 'Are you sure?' 'Yes!' 'Then let's go!' Harry psyched up the team before the first match of the season, which was against Hufflepuff. He was sure that Gryffindor was going to win. Halfway through the game, Harry felt a familiar creeping cold sweep over him. He heard his parent's voices and knew what the coldness came from. 'EXPECTO PATRONUM!' he shouted. Both Quidditch teams flew to the ground as Dementors swept into the stadium. A deathly quiet hung over them all. Ron and Hermione ran towards the pitch as the Dementors came closer to the Gryffindor team. Harry tried to keep hold of his happiest memory - Sirius' name being cleared. His superior skills had proved that Peter was alive and kicking, so to speak. The Dementors came closer.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione woke up with a start, breathing raggedly. She knew the rest of the story. She reached out and grabbed another draught of Sleeping Potion. She fell asleep very quickly.  
  
Hermione's Dream #2  
  
Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked into the middle of a forest, a look of dread on each face. Suddenly, out from behind a tree, there as Lucius Malfoy, his wand pointing at them. 'Expelliarmus!' he shouted, and all three wands flew into his hands. 'Malfoy, if I didn't know better,' Hermione started, 'I'd say your son was behind there as well.' Draco Malfoy peered out from behind a tree and calmed any shocked screams by mouthing a plan to them. His head disappeared behind the tree again. 'No, unfortunately, Draco isn't with us tonight. He has some homework to do,' Lucius stated. 'They don't have any homework,' said Ron, 'or at least, that's not what Blaise said. 'Zabini?' Harry asked in surprise, What have you been doing, hanging out with her?' 'She's been helping me. Hermione gets all uptight whenever we say that we need help, and I've been falling behind in my Transfiguration coursework.' 'So Zabini was told to help you.' Hermione finished. 'Not exactly. She heard that I needed some help and offered if you must know' Ron said, his ears beginning to blend in with his hair. 'Why didn't yo-' 'Much as I hate to break into your little lover's tiff, Lord Voldemort is waiting,' Lucius interrupted and began to turn around when - 'Expelliarmus!' shouted Draco, and the four wands flew into his hands. He broke his father's and threw the others back to their respective owners. 'Goddamn you. How can you be my son? My son would never do this,' Lucius hissed, his eyes becoming snake-like, as he looked at his son, 'How could you? How DARE you?' 'Con facilidad, padre,' Draco replied, showing off his Spanish. (With ease, father) Lucius turned and disapparated at the look in his son's eyes. Without a wand, he was powerless. ' Tu peut parler en Español?' asked Hermione in French. (You speak Spanish!?) 'Ja!' he replied in German. (Yes!) 'Can you try to keep to English, please?' asked Harry, a confused look on his face. 'Nein,' replied Hermione. (No.) 'Non,' Draco replied at the same time, they looked at each other, then broke out into hysterics. They stopped suddenly when they looked around the forest. Carl and Luke, the two Beaters from the Gryffindor Quidditch team, stumbled out from behind the trees. 'We decided to see where you were going so late in the night,' they muttered, blushing. The original group shrugged, then stiffened as a shape formed in front of them. Lord Voldemort was standing there, in his expensive robes, with a party of nineteen Death Eaters and his snake, Nagini. They formed a battlefield. Voldemort was standing with Nagini by his side, and three Death Eaters behind him. The other Death Eaters tried to block the others from Voldemort. Hermione was blocked by two of them, Carl by three, Luke by four, Jamie by four, and Ron by the other three. Hermione severely hurt the two that were blocking her, with a severing charm. Gotta hurt, Harry thought as he jumped out of the way of a curse. The Death Eaters were moving in towards Luke. Hermione ran over and helped Luke defeat the Death Eaters. Then the pair set about helping Draco, who, as they got there, finished Voldemort's followers with some sort of Black Magic. 'Don't say I didn't learn anything from my father' he said, 'But don't tell anyone I used it either.' Carl was having difficulty. Being the youngest, he knew fewer curses, but with a swift flick of his wand, and a mutter to the winds, the Death Eaters turned into plants, and with another careless swish, and another mutter, they shrivelled up, and disintegrated. Ron was able to defeat one of the Death Eaters, but the other didn't seem to want to give up. Separated by the debris, the others were only able to watch. 'AVADA KEDAVRA!' was the cry that would kill. Ron went flying back into the Avada Kedavra that had been flying towards Harry, because of one particularly nasty spell from the last Death Eater that was bothering him. He fell to the floor. 'AVADA KEDAVRA,' was the unanimous cry from all. The five all shouted at the same time, but Luke's and Carl's were a bit slower. Voldemort flew backwards with such force that he took a Death Eater with him. By the time they slammed into a large tree, both were dead. Luke's and Carl's knocked out the two remaining Death Eaters. Harry climbed over the debris, his lithe body jumping from rock to rock, stump to stump and earth to earth. The tears in his eyes were visible, and his mind was clearly readable. Why him? Why not me? Why did he have to be the one? Why are we even here? 'Sometimes the best questions are the unanswered ones,' Hermione said wisely, tears also shining in her eyes as Harry began to walk with them into the woods, where a portkey was.  
  
* * *  
  
' Hermione! Hermione! HERMIONE!' Draco shouted. 'Wha-?' 'You were screaming. What's the matter?' 'Una pesadilla.' she replied. (Bad dream.) 'Was it that dream?' he asked, a really worried look in his face. 'Yes,' Hermione sobbed into his shirt.  
  
January 2003 I had the most devastating dream the other night. I think I'd best keep it to myself, but I think I've found a way to revive Harry's soul. I won't tell you the dream. It might upset you. I think I'll go and find Harry. Or Draco. Hey, maybe even Cho! (She's with Harry) She might know. I know. I'll go and see Carl. He'll know. In the battle, he proved himself. I've got to go. Write soon!  
  
Hermione Granger  
The End 


	2. The Beginning of The End

Diarys and Dreams Chapter 2 - The beginning of the end  
  
"So," Hermione finished. "If you could get that for me, Severus, I would be truly grateful." It was February. A cold wind swept around the turrets and corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hermione shivered. She had finally finished her potion recipe to bring Ron back to life. Ron! Alive! She thought gleefully, and prayed it would work from the bottom of her heart. Months of research, late nights, all-nighters and relentless work had gone into this project. Professor Nelson Turner (Carl Turner (from last chapter)'s brother) is now the deputy head, and has had to run the school without her help as well as teach DADA. He respects her wishes, though and doesn't moan or grumble. Hermione was very proud of him. Harry and Cho had been engaged. Then IT happened. Harry started neglecting Cho, Hermione, all his friends, but most of all, himself. Hermione once had to pull him out of a pub brawl in Suffolk. Unfortunately, Harry was drunk, and he did have his wand with him. The Accidental Magical Reversal Squad had had a field day trying to find all the people with pigs ears. If you are lucky enough to see into Harry's head - if he lets you in - you see the debris of pretence. The debris of a life that never existed. Because Harry started neglecting Cho, she started to neglect him, to teach him a lesson. The couple recently broke up, but Hermione wasn't sure if harry has even noticed Cho's absence. Yet, if Harry DID notice that Hermione was up to something. she wanted it to be... a secret - a surprise.  
  
Hermione's PoV  
  
Who have I got to see? Everybody. OK. Prioritise .Um. Nelson, Sarah and Rhia. DADA, Transfiguration and COMC. Well, I'd best be off. [Hermione stays where she is sitting, despite her better judgement and her thoughts] Sigh. I'm not sure if any of this is worth it. I'm on the verge of giving up. Yet. the look on Harry's face. a light in his eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
There was a loud knock on the door. The person was obviously busy, and needed to get on, but was oblivious to the slightly longer than natural pause in answering. Hermione was considering nor answering at all. Then again, it could be. "Come in!" "Hello, headmistress. The mandrakes are almost ready. You'll have them before the end oft the week, I'd say." "Good. Is that all, Kyriakos?" Hermione asked patiently. Kyriakos may be new at the job, but he was good at it. A tad forgetful at times, Hermione would reason. But good at what he does. Nice bloke, too. "Actually, um. no," he said, catching her off guard. "I spoke to Natalie. She says she's 'found it'. Said you'd know what she meant." "Ah, good. Natalie Ray is a wonder! If that's all, Kyriakos." "Yes. Quite," he left.  
  
Hermione's PoV  
  
Well, I'm off. [Hermione gets up and leaves her office.] I'm glad Nat found that book on rituals. It should help me greatly. I hope Rhia will lend me her Hippogriff. If she won't. well, I don't know what I'll do.  
  
Sigh. Why am I sighing? I seem to be doing a lot of that recently. Bad habit. Mental Note to Self: stop sighing. Sigh. There I go again! OH MY G-! [Hermione pulls out her wand.] Where am I? 


	3. Easy Does It

Chapter 3 - Easy Does It  
  
Hermione was standing in the middle of a corridor that wasn't in Hogwarts. She knew it wasn't because of the sunlight peering in at the windows, and the calm breeze that was gently wafting it's way around her. She looked around, but could find no way out. Right then, Granger. She psyches herself up. What are you going to do this time? You have it Granger. The thing we want. That's why you're here, a voice in her head speaks to her. Come forward. There's a door along this corridor. Find it. Enter. They're waiting. Who is waiting? Hermione thinks to herself, but is surprised. They are, The Voice speaks again. Now, hurry it up, Granger, or you'll be late. We wouldn't want that, now, would we? Hermione is frozen to the spot. How can this. thing. hear her thoughts? It's not that hard, Granger. A simple spell. You might know it. The Voice seems to think for a split second. MOVE IT! Come on, girl! Hurry up! Hermione's legs jerk back into wakefulness and she starts to walk. Better. The Voice seems pleased. Whether it's with her or itself, Hermione isn't sure, but The Voice hasn't spoken again, so she assumes that it doesn't want her to know. After walked for about ten minutes, Hermione started to wonder if she would ever find the door. Then. "There it is!" she whispered to herself, and started to run towards it, but it just got further away. She figured that if she could just hold onto the wall, and walk slowly, she could get there. Why she thought that, she would never know, but it worked, and within a few more minutes, Hermione was standing in front of the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped up to it, and she took the doorknob in her hand. In one, fast, fluid motion, she opened the door and stepped it. "So, so glad you could join us, Ms Granger. The soon to be Mrs Malfoy, so I hear," a high-backed chair was in the room, the other side of a desk, ornately decorated, but strewn with papers, which, Hermione noticed, disappeared as soon as she acknowledged them. The latest wizarding computer stood on another ornate desk to her left. Hermione noticed that the voice that had spoken was one she recognised. She couldn't tell from where, though. Suddenly, she felt extreme anger at the comment made by this person, and rallied with harsh words that had never been heard in that tone of voice from her before. "Well, you heard wrong, didn't you?" she retaliated, defending herself. Best form of defence? Attack. "I only tell what I hear from the 'horse's mouth', mudblood." The chair that the person was sitting on spun around. Hermione gasped. "You!" "That's right, Granger. Me. Blaise Zabini. The one and only." "But. why?" "Really want to know the answer, Granger?" Blaise looked at her solemnly. "What's the answer to any question like that? Because I can." Hermione was gobsmacked. Not something, that often happens to her. "Well, in that case, why am I here, and why did The Voice say 'they'?" "Because we can bring you here. You have what we want. Why did it say they? Are you blind, Granger, as well as thick?" "I'd hardly say I'm th-" "Shut, up, mudblood," Blaise said harshly, before clapping her hands. Hermione was suddenly on a chair, bound and gagged. "Now. Hermione. Nice name. I think I shall stick to mudblood though. Mudblood. You know what we want," she turned around. "Goyle, come here." Out from the shadows came Gregory Goyle. With the same haircut - he looked hardly any different to when Hermione had said goodbye to Draco at the end of Hogwarts. Draco had had regular correspondence with Goyle, though, so Hermione was even more confused. "Gee-gee!" she tried to scream through the material that was gagging her. She had taken to calling him Gee-gee at the end of the sixth year, when he left on a horse. No one was sure why he had left on a horse, though. Goyle turned at the familiarity of his old nickname. He looked at Hermione for a while, and then at Blaise. "You never told me it was Her," he grunted. "You told me she had a sister in America. You told me that that was a different Granger," his eyes filled with tears as he looked back at Hermione. "Goyle!" Blaise shook him out of his staring competition with Hermione. "Goyle!" He mentally shook himself, and finally backed away into the shadows. "I'm sorry, Blaise. I'm not doing it. It's just not right. She's my friend," at which Hermione's eyes also filled with tears, and she bent her head. "Crabbe and I will be taking her home to Draco, now." "Oh, no, you won't." Blaise clapped her hands again, and the door through which Hermione had entered burst open, and wizards in electric blue robes and masks of a similar blue entered, quickly filling the small office. Crabbe stepped out of the shadows also, and he stepped over to Hermione, joined with Goyle, who was wiping a tear from his sorrow-filled face. Hermione looked up at them gratefully, while one of the blue clad wizards stepped forwards, his wand pointing at. Blaise? He ripped his mask off, revealing the startling beauty of. "Draco!" a muffled shout from Hermione. 


	4. Here it Comes Again!

Chapter 4 - Here it comes again!  
  
"Draco!" a muffled shout from Hermione. Jerking back into the real world, Crabbe reached into his pocket and pulled out an army knife, and with one deft flick, he removed Hermione's gag. "Thank you," she breathed, and turned to face Draco, who was advancing on Blaise. Another of the blue-clad team stepped forwards, and took his mask off. Harry appeared from beneath it, and walked over to Hermione but whispered something to Crabbe, who quickly got his knife out again, and cut off the rope that was binding her to the chair. She promptly stood up, and embraced Harry, his fierce lover for her shining in his eyes. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, too," he whispered in her ear. "Thank you," she whispered back. Blaise still hadn't gotten over the shock upon seeing her elite fighting force wasn't who she thought it would be - the 'Dream Team' as she had called them at Hogwarts, and. "Hello, Blaise." Another of the masked avengers took of her mask. She walked over to Blaise, and stood by her side, she turned to face her, and in a second, Blaise was on the floor. Hermione wasn't sure what had happened. "Thank you, Gill," Draco said professionally. "I'm glad she's gone." Hermione was bewildered. How could Draco be so indifferent to her? How could he be so. cold? Hermione walked over to him, and looked him in the eyes. He tried to avoid her gaze, but she was standing right in front of him, noses almost touching, breath mingling, and he had to look at her. "Draco, I - " "Save it. We'll talk later." He turned and swept out the door, and only Hermione, Harry and Goyle were left. Crabbe had gone with Draco. Harry turned to face her. "I don't know, either, Hermione. I really don't know. A wise friend once said to me - 'Sometimes the best questions are the unanswered ones'." Hermione smiled weakly, and walked out of the room. Harry and Goyle stared after her, then walked up to where she was sitting, slumped against the wall, just outside the door - just as Harry had known she would be. "Come on," he said, holding out a hand to help her up. "Let's go back to Hogwarts."  
  
22nd June  
  
It worked! Ron is in St Mungos. He is currently recovering, but Harry doesn't know. I've told Ron what's happened in the years that he's been dead, and he's surprised. 'I was dead?' he asked. Oh, I did laugh. Ron thinks I'm a real meanie, and keeps threatening to call Harry. Poor Harry. He'll know in a few weeks, though. I'll feel much better about myself then. I feel like I'm hurting Harry, actually. I hope the next few weeks go quickly. Bother. Now I've put that, the next fortnight will be so slow; it'll be unbearable. Mustn't grumble. RON'S ALIVE!  
  
Well, it has been another exciting year at Hogwarts. Not really for the students as much as the teachers. Well, actually, I tell a lie. Harry has been staying at Hogwarts, and sitting at the back of Professor Turner's lessons was enough to disrupt all his classes, as they all wanted to talk to him. Except for one girl. Laura. Laura Greene. Scottish girl. 6th year. She didn't take a blind bit of notice of Harry. I wonder why. I know. I'll see what Harry can do. Go see her, perhaps. I know he had a very detailed chat with her, about 'stuff'. His words not mine, I hasten to add. Oh, well. It is nearly the end of term, and I believe she has the Marauder's map in her possession, at the moment. The head IS all-seeing and all- knowing, you know. I'm sighing again. I shall just try and put up with it. I don't think that it's necessary, but I don't think that it's that important either.  
  
I now have to go and see Harry, and then perhaps Laura.  
  
I will write soon,  
  
Hermione Granger 


	5. Chapter 5 – Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll...

Chapter 5 - Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll. Bother. Only 1 out of 3.  
  
Hermione's PoV  
  
I'm walking down the corridor. I'm back at Hogwarts. Involuntarily, I breathe a sigh of relief, and I make my way to the Ravenclaw Common Room. I say the password ("Blue Sea"), and I enter. A few of the first-years look up at me in what I suppose is awe. I think to myself. God! I'm not that bad am I? I mean, I'm flattered, but I really have to find Laura. "Um, I'm looking for Laura Greene. Do you know where she is?" "I do," a voice from the shadows says in my ear. I turn in surprise to see her looking at me only a few feet away. "Ah, Laura! Just the person I wanted to see." "So I guessed." "Marauder's Map?" "Yes," she replies, brushing off all the startled stares she is getting. I'm not sure about her. I know she has a brother in Slytherin, and am slightly suspicious of her for a moment, but then realise that Draco was a Slytherin. God, I miss him. I love him, but I haven't seen him for at least a month. I trust him with my life. I really need to talk to him, but first I need to speak to Laura. Prioritise. We walk out of the door, and to my surprise, she leads me the other way- into a part of the school I've never actually seen before. I remember that Laura's Father is a highly recognised Wizard, and figure that she'd have had no problems in hiding this from the world. A simple spell. Well, the same, quite complex spell that hides Hogwarts. "Shadows," she says as we approach a painting. Her voice is little more than a whisper, and she seems to laugh under her breath. The painting creaks open, and as I step into her 'office'. I am completely bewildered. I don't like it. Laura sits down at a desk. She invites me to sit down in the chair opposite her, which, I notice, is much more comfortable than I expect. "What can I do for you, then, Professor Granger?" she asks, her eyes laughing, but her voice sincere. "Nothing too serious, I hope." "Oh, no," I assure her. I was hoping to take charge of this meeting, but it seems that she has taken the reins. "I was just wondering how you came about the Marauder's Map. You know of its history, I suppose?" "Ah, yes. Well, I was speaking to Harry, and he blurted out about the Marauder's Map. He decided to bequeath it to me, seeing as we're related." "Related?" I ask, suddenly confused. Laura laughs. "Yes, related. You see, his grandmother had a sister that she didn't know about. She had a daughter and two sons. My mother - Mandy - and my two uncles - Mark and Matt. She had a thing for names that began with M. Well, my mother married Tom, and here I am. With my brother Chris, and my other brother. He will be starting here next year, I think. Kyle." "Yes," I say absent-mindedly, wondering why Harry hadn't told me any of this. I begin to wonder what she would be called to him. In the end, I just confuse myself, and go back to one of my original questions. "You know of its history?" Laura just laughs again. "Yes. Harry told me about that as well." "Good. Well, now that that's cleared up, I'll be off. Thank you, Laura." "That's OK, Professor. Any time. Oh, and don't try to find this place again. It only reveals itself when it needs to be revealed. If you need to speak to me, however, and you think I might be here, you can try to find it. You know where it is. I'll probably be here, anyway. I'll know where you are," she tapped her pocket. "Right. Thank you again, and I'll see you at dinner," I smile and walk out of the room. I walk down the corridor and up the Grand Staircase to the guest quarters. I walk faster towards the room where Harry is staying. I knock at the door. "Who is it?" "It's Hermione." "Oh, hi Hermione," he appears at the door, looking handsome in a simple t- shirt and jeans, covered by his robe, which is half-open. His hair is dripping with small water droplets, and his glasses aren't on his face. They are, I notice on his desk in the corner. "What can I do for you then?" "You didn't ell me? Why? I'm your best friend. aren't I? You know - or at least you should - that you can tell me anything. You can trust me. Harry. Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, in the tone of a policeman asking a suspect a question. "Tell you about what?" he asked, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Laura," I say, looking him in the eyes. I don't blink. Harry thinks for a second, then opens his moth - about to say something. Then closes it. "You look like a fish, Harry. Just tell me." Harry invited her inside. He sits on the bed, and I sit beside him. I look straight at him, and finally, when I'm just about to give up, he answers. "I don't know." "What do you mean, you don't know? You. you." I sigh in frustration and stand up. I walk to the door, but he stops me from leaving. "Hermione, I don't know, alright? I just. don't know. I suppose. I suppose I just didn't want you to know just yet. I'm not sure why," he says. I walk back over to the bed and sit beside him. "Harry, don't worry. I was just wound up about something. Don't worry," I shake my head in virtual despair, but he shakes his head with conviction. "No, Hermione. I've seen it does matter to you. You're right - as always. I should have told you. I just thought that you might not want to know." He looks confused, as if he's not sure that he's actually saying this. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll see you later." I get up and walk to the door. I turn and wave at him before stepping out into the corridor and shutting the door behind me. As the door clicks shut, I realise that I was going to have to face Draco. Whether he would be in our flat was debatable, but I went to my office and sprinkled Floo Powder into the fire anyway. "The Leaky Cauldron!" I say, clearly, but firmly, and I feel the familiar spinning motion that means I've left Hogwarts. I step out of the grate in The Leaky Cauldron. I walk up to the bartender. Pity Tom got so ill, I think. Ah, well. Lottie is very good, and in touch with the latest Muggle concoctions, too! "I'll have a. vodka. Straight, thanks, Lottie," I say, taking a seat. "Comin' right up!" A moment and an incantation later, my vodka appears before me. "Thanks, L." "Aw, it was nothin'!" a line from a film, if my memory serves me correctly. "Hey, I heard that you'd gotten. kidnapped," she says, the last word barely more than a whisper. "Yeah. look, have you seen Draco about?" I ask, suddenly anxious for him. "Oh, he left a few minutes ago. Said he was going home. Wha's the matter? Havin' trouble?" she nodded sagely. "I know, I know. It's always the best- suited ones that don't work. Hang on in there, 'Mione. You'll make it." "Thanks, L. You're a real friend. I'll see you later, yeah?" "See yus, 'Mione." I finish my Vodka, and leave, tapping the wall into Diagon Alley. I walk up to the new apartment blocks at the end, through a magical entrance that only reveals itself to those it thinks worthy, and put my wand in the door. Much better than Muggle keys. They identify you. Better than a speech activated door. It's more accurate. I walk up the stairs to the top floor, where our flat is, and again, put my wand in the door. "Draco?" I ask, suddenly timid. Surprised by this sudden realisation, I walk into our bedroom, the first door on the right, and find Draco there. His wrists are slashed to pieces. There is the smell of Marijuana in the air, and lying by the bed; strewn over the floor are three empty bottles of Vodka. "Oh, my God! Mobilicorbus." His body floats in the air. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," I mutter under my breath. His body flies out of the bedroom door with me, and we go it the living room. Ornately decorated, it has some of the finest treasures of the 16th century. I pick my way carefully through the priceless junk, artefacts and heirlooms that fill the room. We go over to the fire and my tear-strained voice mutters, "Saint Mungos," before I realise that I'm crying. I'm virtually hyperventilating, but my mind is calm. My heart is frantic, and something is producing more adrenaline than is possible. I think that he's going to die. I'm going o loose him. We are in St Mungos now. We got there safely. I thank God that I found him. I pray that he'll be OK. "Are you Mrs Malfoy?" "Um, actually, I'm." then I think about it. They might only let immediate family see him. I think about this for another fraction of a second, and resolutely say "Yes." Having never been good at acting or lying, I find it hard to believe that she believes me.  
  
* * *  
  
"Harry!" Hermione jumps at his familiar voice and touch from behind her. She stands up, and turns to face him. "I'm so glad you're here." "I got here as fast as I could once I got your owl. Your handwriting was terrible," he says trying to lighten the mood. It works, and Hermione emits a very weak laugh. "I haven't seen him yet. They won't let me see him!" she's almost hysterical. "Why not? I mean." Harry shuts her up. "Hermione, I don't know why. Right now, I'm concerned for you, more than Draco. I know, I know, but I say we go to The Leaky Cauldron, and have a few drinks to take our minds off it, hmm?" "Yeah," she says weakly, knowing that she will only have coffee. She wants to be awake when he wakes. "Let's go, then. They'll get someone over to talk to us if there's anything else." "OK."  
  
* * *  
  
In his hospital bed, surrounded by magical machinery and Mediwizards in white, Draco is no further in coming out of his coma. 


	6. Draco, Meet The Boy You Thought Was Dead

Chapter 6 - Draco, meet the boy you thought was dead.  
  
"Come on, Hermione. You'll go hyper on that amount of caffeine," Harry says. He's sitting across from her in The Leaky Cauldron, and his drink of preference - a B52. Orangey-yellow in colour, it made Hermione feel like she was going to puke. "No, Harry. I need to stay awake for Draco. I need to see him!" "'Mione, I care about you, OK? I just don't want you to go to sleep when he does wake up, because I know that'd hurt you. Now, let's get you an Ouzo, hmm?" Harry could see she was starting to give, but she still needed a little bit of a push. "Look, let's let the caffeine run its course, and you can have an Ouzo, and if you go to sleep, and Draco wakes up, I'll wake you." Hermione had to give in. "Lotto! Give us an Ouzo and Lemonade. Heavy on the lemonade," she said. Harry looked like he disapproved. He walked over to Lottie, and whispered in her ear. She giggled girlishly and nodded. Harry came back over and sat beside Hermione. A few seconds later, Hermione's Ouzo and lemonade appeared before her. Harry looked over at the bar, and when Lottie looked up, he stared at her questioningly, and cocked his head to one side. She simply nodded. Harry gave her a thumbs-up. "What was tat about?" Hermione paused to take a sip of the Ouzo and lemonade, then looked back up at him. "What type of Ouzo is this?" "Sertiko Ouzo, with a bit of Ouzo 12 in it, I believe. Lottie seems to think it amusing to mix Ouzos. Don't know why. Probably because." his voice drifted off. "Because what?" Hermione asked, her eyelids beginning to droop. "Because it cancels all the effects of caffeine, and puts the drinker to sleep." "What d'you me-" Hermione's head fell into her crossed arms on the table, and Lottie looked over at Harry and smiled.  
  
* * *  
  
"Who's your friend, Harry?" an American voice from behind him that he didn't recognise. "Who are you?" "Tommy. Tommy Virketi," the man stepped out of the doorway of Flourish and Blotts. "I come from New York, as you might have guessed by the accent." "Well, Tommy, what are you doing, hanging about here?" "Waiting for you, actually." "Why are you waiting for me?" "There's something you need to see." "Well, I've got to put Hermione to bed first." "Hermione? Hermione Granger?" "Wha's it to ya?" "She needs to see this, too." "Oh. Well, actually, now's not a good time." "Oh?" "Yeah. Um, her boyfriend just tried to kill himself. Slit his wrists, OD on drugs and OD on Vodka as well." "Oh," he began to think for a second. "I still think she needs to see it."  
  
Hermione's PoV  
  
I wake up somewhere that is definitely NOT my bed. I roll over and look out of my sleep-bleared eyes towards where a low conversational hum is coming from. "Harry? Draco? Wha-?" I murmur, not entirely sure. "She's awake, Harry," an unfamiliar American voice says to him. "Oh, OK. We'll meet you there, Tommy. See you later, then." "Right. See yus." The man stood up and walked out of the door. I sit up. "Harry? Where are we? Who was he? Why are we he-?" "Hermione, shut up," he walked over to me and sat beside me. "Hermione, now's not the best time to tell you, really." "Oh? Look Harry, I'm torn up as it is. I don't think that you could tear me up any more than this." "Well, you know that Tommy is American." "Yeah?" "Well, he's a lawyer. you remember that Albus went to America to retire." he drifted off, and left me to finish the sentence. "He's. dead?" "Yeah," he said, his eyes filling with tears. I could tell he'd been crying. My eyes also filled with tears, and I began to sob. "I can't believe it! I won't believe it! I just. no. it can't be. it can't be true!" "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione. Come on, Hermione. Look here's an owl." An owl had flown through the window. I look around the room for the first real time. I am surprised. I'm at Harry's house - I recognise the décor that is all the way around his house ("What? It's cheap? So what?" Harry had said), but I don't recognise the room we were in. Harry got up and held out his arm. I knew that that was Hedwig, but I had no idea what the owl was about. "Hmm." Harry pursed his lips. "What?" I ask, anxious that it might be about Draco. Harry looked at me and burst out laughing. "What?" I ask again, relieved that it's not bad news. "Well, Tommy's just sent this. It says." he was helpless with laughter. He hands me the piece of paper and promptly doubles up.  
  
Harry, Here's another bit of Albus's will that I didn't show you. Thought it might upset you, seeing as he knew.  
  
'And finally, to Mr. Ron Weasley, I leave all of my remaining money - which, if my calculations are correct is 1,000,000 galleons. I hope he likes it!'  
  
Tommy  
  
"What's so funny about this?" "Well, he knew, didn't he? Poor bloke, must've gone delusional - something Ron accused me of, I seem to remember," his eyes dimmed. "I've got to go somewhere. I've got to go see. someone," but upon seeing Harry's face, I reassure him. "Not Draco, but I might pop in on him on the way back. I've got to go see someone, that's all. And no," I say interrupting Harry who had started to speak. "You can't come." I apparate to St. Mungo's and walk the familiar path to where Ron is, the piece of paper clutched in my hand. "Hello, Hermione!" he says when I enter. "Hiya, Ron. Um, I've got something to tell you," my eyes fill with tears.  
  
* * *  
  
"What is it, Hermione?" he looks at her in confusion. "Well, two things actually. Do you want the bad news or the worse? The bad news has some good news that comes with it." "Bad, in that case." "OK. Um, well. Albus retired to America after he left Hogwarts. He's just. oh, he's just gone!" "Oh. What's the good news that comes with it?" She hands him the piece of paper. "Oh. My. God." "Yep. It's all yours. He obviously knew that I'd do it." "Wow. Look, Hermione, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but when do I get to see my family and harry? It's not that I do 't like your company - on the contrary, I quite enjoy it - but when do I get out?" "Next week." "What's the worse news?" Her eyes fill with tears, and she begins to sob uncontrollably. "Draco." "What's happened? If he's hurt you in any way." "No! It's not like that. He. he tried to kill himself. Slit wrists, drugs and drink." "Oh," that shut him up. "Is he going to be OK?" "I don't know. I just don't know." "Is he here?" "Yeah." "Go see him. I need my daily 'walk', and you need some moral support." We get up, and a Mediwizard comes in. "Mrs. Malfoy?" "Yes," I say, and Ron looks at me quizzically. I mouth 'I'll tell you later' at him, and turn to face the girl. "Mr. Malfoy has come out of his coma, and is listed as stable. Can tell you that if you'd taken him to a Muggle hospital he'd be dead. He's listed as stable. Would you like to come and see him?" "Yes please. Can Ron come? Moral support." "Yes." We walk down the starched corridors, seeing an odd drip of blood, which the cleaner ion duty clears with her wand before (she thinks) we see it. "Here we are. Be careful with him, he's still very weak." "OK," I say, breathless with anticipation. We enter the room. Draco is sitting up in bed, the magical machinery still attached, but a lot less pale than last time either of the two visitors saw him. "'Mione!" "Draco! Oh my God! I'm so glad you're OK! How are you? What a silly question! Oh my God!" "Hermione!" Ron says sternly from the shadows. "Give the poor boy some breathing space!" "Sorry," she says, more to Ron than to Draco, but Draco thinks that there's something wrong. "Weasley?!?" "Which one?" Ron answers, knowing that Draco would have to say his name. After all this time. "Ron." "The one and only." "But I - I thought that - I - I." he looked helplessly at Hermione and then at Ron who had taken a seat by Draco's bed. "Now, now, Malfoy! Calm down! Wouldn't want you to get over-exited, now would we?" Draco turned to Hermione. "So... he's the one you've been spending all your free time with. That's why you've been so busy!" "Yeah. Look, Ron, I think the two of us need to talk. Could you?" "Yeah, I could. and I'm going to," he added after Hermione's worst glare. Pretty scary, actually, Ron thought. He left the room. "Draco, I need to kno-." "Hermione, I want to tell you, but I really don't think that this is a good time." "Why? I don't understand." "Did you hear? About Albus?" "Did you hear that from Harry or from Tommy?" "Tommy." "Well I was there when he told Harry - who I assume he old first." "Yeah, well." There was a silence. Uncomfortable around each other, they burst at the same time. "I love you." "I love you." They laughed. The ice had been broken as if a Ten Ton Polar Bear had sat on it. They chatted for a long time, before Hermione apparated back to the room in Harry's house. "Harry?" she asked the empty room. "No. No Harry," a frighteningly familiar voice answered. Clipped Queen's English, it was too familiar. Hermione shivered. "Just lil' ol' me."  
  
THE END. FOR NOW. 


End file.
